scooterb

Hello Everyone,

I am a former frequent flyer with UA who due to career changes isn't flying much, if at all, anymore. I have approximately 200K MP miles that are set to expire next month and am wondering what to do with them. Originally I was saving them for a nice biz/1st class ticket or upgrade on an economy ticket to somewhere nice like NZ or Europe, but wondering how easy those are to come bye these days? All of my experience with UA was pre-merger with CO so don't know if the flying on miles scene has gotten more complicated these days?

On a related point, I am also in need of a new MAC laptop and pondering whether or not I should just drop the miles into a "free" laptop. Wondered if anyone has some perspective on whether or not it is ever a good idea to use miles for merchandise vs. free travel? Don't want to throw my hard earned miles away (though I realize it is likely a paltry amount for some of you!) and would welcome the benefit of your collective wisdom! Thanks in advance...

TakeTheATrain

If you want to keep your miles from expiring, check out this thread. The easiest is to buy a song off of iTunes from the UA Mileage Plus online shopping mall. That would count as activity and extend your miles for another 18 months. Just be aware that it takes a few weeks for the miles to post.

I'm not sure how much UA is charging for a new computer by using miles to purchase. But chances are redeeming for a Business Class ticket would be a better redemption value, since paying for Business Class can be very expensive.

craz

usually miles for goods is a very bad ratio, and I have never done it.If a laptop is needed and $$ are extremely tight maybe I could hear it

As for keeping your miles alive, any type of Miles going into or out of the acct will extend the balance for another 18 months. So buy a CD off 1 of the shopping mall sites earn a couple of miles youre set, If you have a Starwood acct and are a Plat you can transfer any amount min 2 SPG = 1 UA (not a SPG Plat the min are alot higher and I wouldnt blow my SPG pts then)

will you be renting a car before the exping date just have the credit go to UA

My pt there are countless ways to keep your UA miles alive why blow them on any goods, which you most likley will beable to buy for alot less $$ elsewhere

scooterb

Thanks for the tip. The computer will come close to the full 200K...

IflyfromABE

I value UA miles at about 3 cents a mile and I am not willing to spend them in anything of a lesser value, like spending 50K miles for a $300 domestic ticket or 20K miles for an one way upgrade in a 3 hr flight. (But spending 55k miles on a BF flight to EU - about $4K value, is a different story and how I am trying to spend my miles) So, roughly, I'd value your 200K miles at about $6K. If that gets you a $6K worth of a laptop, go for it

A good way for not letting those miles expire is to register in the dinning program. Lots of areas include places like Burger King and driving through and grabbing a cup of coffee for $1 every now and then will make it happen.

PV_Premier

No comparison -- you fly (or do something to keep them from expiring).

Case in point. I booked two business class tix to NZ for 270k miles for myself and my fiancee. Each ticket for cash would have been about $7000.

My coworker cashed in 190k miles for a MacBook with retina display. Street value of $2200.

I have not yet finished my mockery of him

scooterb

Thanks for the advice all, sounds like I'm better off going airborne!